//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3 
// Story: The Darksiders: Prologue - Eight 
// by Darksoma 
//------------------------------//



Softly, Eight trotted through the Library halls, lost in his head as he stared down at the void Crystal.

"Channel magic." Lifting his gaze, he looking through the nearly pitch-black hallway. "What other kinds of magic?" As he looked around, a thought had popped into his head. Perhaps he could do light magic. Closing his eyes, he found himself trying to focus on the Crystal, trying to tell it to light. There was a noticeable feeling inside his body as he did so, something akin to a slow river running through him, but it seemed there was a snag in the stream, as the crystal continued to do absolutely nothing around his neck aside from sway.

Suddenly, however, the sound of a distant shuffling echoed through the halls, breaking Eight's focus.

Eight had learned his lesson to not make too much noise and swiftly pressed himself against the wall, sliding along it towards the sound. Slowly, he peered through an open doorway, into another large study, like the room before, only this one with its tables broken and shattered.

In the middle of the room sat a group of sleeping Shadow dogs, the area directly around them bathed in pitch black. "So, that's a defense mechanism, I guess?" Eight whispered, before leaning out and sneaking past the doorway. He knew better at this point that approaching was a death sentence, especially without a weapon. As he moved further down the hall, he couldn't help but think back to Teia and what she said.

'A castle, and a friend?' Eight recalled, staying close to the wall before looking between two hallways that breached off from this one. This place was bigger than expected. "First, I need a weapon, if I'm to follow any more info from her." He whispered to himself, deciding to take the right path.

Room after room, hallway after branching hallway, Eight found himself lost deep in the dark Library, only occasionally stepping into a few empty rooms. Each room on this floor looked strikingly similar, aside from a few details, and unfortunately, he had very little luck finding a map, if there was one.

With an annoyed sigh, Eight stepping into another copy of the same study room before beginning to search, pulling out the violet journal he'd almost forgotten he had before pulling it open. "This is a library, so there is sure to be a pencil around here somewhere."

A soft and sudden gasp quickly caught Eight's attention as he turned to the doorway. For a moment he paused, taking a deep breath through his soft breath, before finally gaining some confidence. "H-Hello?" Inching towards the door, he slowly leaned to the side, trying to look out. To his surprise, he found his eyes meeting someone else's for a brief moment. And apparently, they noticed, as they suddenly jumped back, running down the hallway.

"Wait!" Quiet was out as he ran after the other pony, turning into the hallway just as they rounded the corner. "Wait, I'm not gonna hurt you!" He couldn't see much in the dark hallway as he gave chase, trying his best not to trip on the many scattered pages on the floor. The noise they were making wasn't going unnoticed as he saw a few shadow dogs look out from the study rooms. This floor was quickly becoming a death trap when he felt a sudden jolt against his body.

The other pony had apparently stopped and bucked him backward, down a set of stairs he hadn't noticed.

With a groan, Eight looked up the stairs, spotting a fearful young mare with a messy main, shaking in place. Without light, it was hard to make out the color, but he could tell the mare was bruised and had scratched on her. "I wasn't... Gonna hurt you..." were the only words Eight could say through his exhausted breaths.

The mare didn't say anything, a look of fear still on her face.

For a moment, the two stared at each other, before the mare turned in horror, before bolting down the hallway, only for the shadow dogs to rush past after her.

"Oh, crap." Eight muttered as a few took notice of Eight and began jumping at him. Rolling to the side, out of the way, Eight quickly lept down the rest of the stairway, as the creatures slammed headfirst into the wall of the stairway, one of them actually managing to snap its own neck and fade into dust with the force of its jump. As he landed on the first floor, Eight dashed down the halls before quickly sliding into a nearby room, slamming the door closed behind him, only to grab a nearby bookshelf, bringing it down in front of it, the books on it falling to the floor.

It didn't even take a moment before the Shadow Dogs began clawing at the door, tearing chunks away.

Without a second to lose, Eight looked over the rest of the room.

The room was a full-on book-filled library, with towering bookshelves that touched the ceiling. On the other end of the room, however, was a fireplace, built into the wall. Above it was an ornate decorative shield with two swords hanging behind it. Unfortunately, it was out of reach.

Eight panicked, the dogs halfway through the door, and quickly he ran over to the bookcase next to the fireplace before trying to climb up. He pulled off books from the shelf as he climbed, only to find himself slipping and falling back to the ground. "Dammit..." Eight gasped, trying to catch his breath, but he knew he didn't have time.

'I was levitating it using the Void Crystal' Eight thought back suddenly, the fear inside him not dying down. It was either do or die now, and Eight didn't have time to decide. Quickly climbing to his hooves, Eight closed his eyes, still hearing the door break behind him. He tried not to focus on that, instead, forcing all his thoughts on one of the swords. "Please..." Eight whispered, trying to beg the Crystal to listen. Again, that feeling filled his body but still, nothing happened. "Please, I don't want to die here..." Eight tried reasoning with it, then tried pleading, he tried everything before he sighed. "I can't let that mare die, I have to protect myself, but more importantly..." Eight thought back to that mare again, the image of her fearful face burned into his mind. "I want to protect her. Others are more important than me." Taking a deep breath, Eight focused everything on the Crystal, another realization hitting him. Quickly as much energy as he could muster, he suddenly pushed against the feeling in his body. "I said lift!" Eight shouted, the energy inside himself suddenly imploding inside him, the crystal bursting to life with a brilliant glow. He can't reason with a crystal, but sure as hell can tell it what to do. Opening his eyes, Eight ordered the sword up, a magic aura surrounding one of the blades just as one of the shadow dogs burrowed through the door and shelf.

Thinking fast, Eight quickly pivoted in place, the sword-swinging around him, slicing cleanly through the creature. It slowly turned to dark ash in the air as the sword floated to Eight's side, ready for his command. "Let's get this over with."

Suddenly, the door and shelf exploded into chunks of wood as three shadow dogs lept into the room, two landing on the ground, as the other made an attempt to slash at Eight.

With a quick motion, Eight ducked and slid under it in the Air, slashing at its head, before it too turned to ash.

The other creatures didn't even pause as Eight ran closer to them, quickly blocking one's attempted slash before kicking the other in one swift motion. It quickly bounced off the wall, before Eight sent the one he blocked into another wall, and in an instant, slashed his sword back at the other, decapitating it. The other creature growled as it landed before letting out that familiar cry, but this time, Eight was ready, leaping at it before stabbing directly down its throat.

The creature's cry quickly died as it did too, the dark crystal inside it dropping to the floor as the rest turned to dust.

Panting, Eight just stood there, feeling his energy being channeled into the crystal, which held the sword. It all felt natural to him. "Well... That wasn't as hard as I thought." With a look of resolve, he turned to the door, glaring into the hall. "I'll be there soon."

As Eight galloped down the hall and up the stairs, he could hear more of those creatures jumping and clawing at a door, the mare's whimpers echoing along with it. "Hey!" Eight shouted, stepping into the hallway, his sword at the ready, as he finally spotted the door they had been clawing at.

All the creatures quickly turned to face him, before they slowly began approaching. Just then, another moved out of another hallway behind him, suddenly slashing and knocking him forward into the bigger group.

Thinking quickly, Eight flipped back, dragging his sword above him before planting his forehoof down, using his hind hoof to slash at two of the creatures, killing two before curling into the air, rolling onto the ground. Without another moment, he pushed himself to his hooves, levitating his sword to his side as he glared at the two remaining creatures, one getting ready to pounce while the other ground its teeth.

Just then, it let out a powerful cry, which echoed through the halls, stunning Eight for a moment, as the other finally pounced, its jaw open wide. Without a moment to lose, Eight fell to the side, slashing his sword effortlessly through the jaw then the body of the creature, as he hit the door where he could hear that mare's cries, making him pause a moment. Softly, Eight pressed his head against the door, not noticing the creature readying another attack. He found himself whispering into the door. "It's okay. I'm here to protect you. Don't worry." With that, Eight found his resolve again, pushing himself off the wall, and readying himself.

That's when the shadow dog shot out a sudden, powerful burst of red fluid at him, which hit his sword as he blocked.

He only shut his eyes for a moment, but by the time he reopened them, the sword was melted in half at the blade. With a sigh, he dropped it to the ground, preying he could replicate that levitating later before glaring into the creature's eyes.

Both of them were ready to attack each other when the creature began slashing towards Eight, cutting into his arm, before he used his arm to backhand the creature, sending it into a wall.

However, it quickly turned in the air, leaping back at him, before biting into his shoulder.

Struggling, Eight quickly rammed it into the wall, his shoulder burning with pain as the creature dropped. Taking a deep breath, a familiar plan crossed Eight's mind, before he kicking the shadow creature away, it sliding to a stop under a nearby bookshelf.

It growled and hissed, but Eight stood his ground focusing on the Crystal again. Just as the creature was ready to pounce, Eight yanked at the bookshelf with the magic, sending it down on the creature, before he quickly jumped up, slamming his hooves into it, crushing the creature perfectly under the bookshelf. Its dying cries echoed through the halls, only to be replaced by the mare's fearful cries.

With a sigh of exhaustion and relief, Eight stepped down off the broken shelf before moving towards the door, his limp returning to join the pain in his arm. "It's okay..." Softly, Eight pressed himself against the door, reaching for the knob, turning it slowly. "I won't... Hurt you..." As he pushed into the door, a toppled bookshelf sliding to the side he did, he found the mare curled up, crying in the corner of a smaller study.

She didn't say anything or do anything, only cried and crowed, not even facing Eight.

"They're gone..." A surge of exhaustion hit Eight as he moved closer before he sat just behind her, cautiously reaching his hoof out, just as we were on the brink of passing out.

Suddenly, however, the mare turned, hugging Eight and crying against him, not letting him go. She must have been alone for a long time.

Eight couldn't think of anything as he hugged the unknown mare back before gradually drifting unconscious.


- - -


"Who are you?" The soft, female voice echoed around Eight, the black void around him rippling like water.

He could barely stir, his body feeling heavy.

"You're a... Pegasus?" Another male voice had said, one Eight didn't recognize, but something felt familiar about it. "My name... Is..."


- - -


Softly, Eight let out a breath, the void around him fading away. "Lia—?"

"Are you... Awake?" Someone with a soft, gentle voice asked, her voice slightly quivering.

It was enough, however, to pull Eight from his dream. Softly, he opened his eyes, finding himself laying on the wooden floor of the first-floor library, staring into the fireplace, where a soft fire burned through the torn books inside it.

Next to it, however, sat that mare from before— a unicorn with red hair, with pink stripes in it. Her Violet eyes glistened in the light as she sat curled up next to the flame.

"You... You're okay?" Was all Eight could muster as he closed his eyes again, taking a deep breath. His body was sore and aching, so much that he didn't even want to lift his head.

"Y-Yes..." The mare's voice was quivering slightly as she spoke. "Thanks to you."

Again, Eight opened his eyes, seeing her looking at her hooves.

"I'm sorry..." Her voice didn't stop quivering, clearly on the edge of tears. "I was so scared... I wish I didn't... I... I wish I could've helped..."

"Don't be sorry." Eight breathed out. "It's... Okay... I get it. You were frightened, and there's no shame in that."

The words caught the mare's attention as she stared at Eight.

"What matters is that you're okay." Eight looked back at the more, struggling, for the first time, to lift himself.

The mare quickly uncurled and moved to Eight, grabbing him and helping him up. "But you... Don't even know me."

"Doesn't matter." Eight finally managed to sit up, his body screaming in pain at him, but he kept himself up.

The mare remained silent, sitting quietly next to him, not able to respond.

It was Eight who finally broke the silence.

"Speaking of which," turning to the mare, Eight gave his best smile. "Do you have a name?"

The question surprised her before she looked away, clearly thinking, before letting out a sigh. "Violet... I'd like to be called Violet."

With a soft smile, Eight nodded shakily. "It's nice to meet you, Violet. My name is..." He paused, his given name dying on his lips. Did he really want to keep using that name? But, what else would he be called? With a sigh, he spoke. "My name is Eight."

"Oh, uh," Violet seemed to notice his reluctance, nervously pausing a moment. "It's nice to meet you, uh, Eight."

The room fell nearly silent, the fire being the only sound, as the two sat there, Eight trying to catch his breath and work up the strength to move.

Violet was too nervous to say anything. She could barely object to his attempts to move. "You really... Don't have to." She finally whispered. "The... Library was nearly cleared by you... Yesterday." She seemed to wince a little at her words. "You need to rest..."

Eight turned to her, frowning but understanding. He could tell how regretful she felt about not being able to help. The least he could do was listen. "Are you sure?" Still, he couldn't help but worry. "I don't want to put you in danger."

Violet paused, looking to her hooves again. "It's fine..." It was clear she was scared, but she put on a brave face, despite her shaking.

"Besides," The sudden voice of Teia echoed through the hall, startling Violet and making Eight Sigh. "You haven't gotten the thing you need to find here."

"Teia, please, be more gentle." Eight said, pushing himself to Violet, trying to calm her. "It's okay, she's friendly." He whispered to Violet before turning to Teia slightly.

"Oh, sorry." Stepping out of the darkness, Teia cautiously approached them. "Oh wow, you don't look too good."

Eight sighed again, closing his eyes in annoyance. "Now what are you going on about?"

"Oh! Right, gotta stay on topic." Coughing into her hoof, she then quickly adjusted her bow atop her head. "Like I was saying, you can't leave without getting the thing I sent you here to get."

"You didn't mention that to me at all." At this point, Eight was getting used to her lack of instruction, and quickly moved on. "So, what am I supposed to get?"

Teia blinked before lowering her head. "Sorry about that. Instructions are hard to make." Quickly, however, she lifted herself back up. "So, this library holds a very specific set of information that you wouldn't be able to find yourself. Info I, unfortunately, can't give you, as per my rules." Taking a deep breath, Teia turned, moving back towards the doorway, which still sat in absolute ruin after yesterday's fight. "Information related to Darksiders."

Eight's ears perked before he opened his eyes again, only to see Teia had already walked out.

"Darksiders?" Finally, Violet managed to speak, managing to calm herself.

"Something she mentioned before, to me." Eight muttered. He was a Darksider, according to her, and now, he could get answers here.

Violet just stared at Eight, worry in her eyes.

"It's okay. I'll rest here before I do anything." He softly turned and smiled at her, to the best of his ability.

It took a moment but eventually, she smiled lightly back, worry still in her eyes.

Gradually, Eight pushed himself closer to the fire, with Violet's help, feeling the warmth of it.

For a long moment, she sat next to him, clearly distracted, before she stood up. "I-I'll be right back. I know there are some blankets around here."

Eight nodded to her. "Promise to be right back?"

She stood silent for a moment before nodding too. "Promise." With that, she turned, nervously heading to the door, yet she looked determined.

As she exited, Eight noticed something, laying out on the floor next to him. It was the Violet Journal, sitting open on the first blank page. "I guess she must've opened it." Eight whispered.